Poisoning suspected in sibling deaths

Theresia Sufa, The Jakarta Post/Bogor

Two brothers and a sister were found dead on Thursday with their bodies displaying signs of having been poisoned.

Eldest brother Mugiono, 45, his sister Sukarni, 40 and younger brother Narno, 35, were found dead in Sukarni's house on Jl. Siaga, Cimandala village, Sukaraja district, Bogor regency.

Mugiono and Sukarni were found in the bedrooms, while Narno was found in the living room.

Three glasses of coffee, one glass containing a soft drink, and some bread were still on the table in the living room, which suggested that there may have been a fourth person with them before their deaths.

Traces of foam were found on their mouths, while their faces were discolored and their stomachs bloated.

"They were poisoned ... We already have a suspect," said Sukaraja Police chief Adj. Comr. Wagiman.

However, he refused to reveal any more information about the investigation, which he said was now in the hands of the Cibinong Police.

Mugiono and Narno lived in a house in Cileur village, which is also located in Sukaraja district, not far from Sukarni's home.

The head of the neighborhood unit where Sukarni lived, Sunarto, said that the last time he had met Mugiono was on Monday evening.

He said that Mugiono came to report the arrival of a nephew who planned to stay with Sukarni for a while.

Since Sukarni was a widow, Sunarto recollected, Mugiono had told him there was no need to worry about adultery.

"I can't remember the name of the nephew," Sunarto said.

It was Chandra, a worker at the meatball company owned by the three siblings, who found the bodies.

He said he had been told that his boss, Mugiono, was at Sukarni's house. When he arrived there, the house was locked but there was a foul stench emanating from inside.

Chandra met Katimin, a neighbor of Sukarni's, who told him that Sukarni usually gave a spare key to her house to another neighbor, Sri Subadi, whenever she was away from home.

The three then unlocked the door, where they discovered the bodies. They then called the police.

"Sukarni usually gave her keys to me. On Tuesday, I found that the keys were in the rice box in my store. I don't know who put them there. I didn't feel there was anything strange afoot, so I just hung the keys up on the wall of my store as usual," Sri said in tears.